Tremolo picking

[Triple-o]

Tremolo picking and Richard  Monsour, search either name and it takes you to the same page. Sorry about that!  I should have  wrote **** Dale. Where would tremolo picking be with out this guitarist. Any songs come to mind? How about “Misirlo”? How about the movie  “Pulp Fiction”?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIU0RMV_II8

https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0041620

musicnotes could have saved some ink had they used tremolo notation.

 

 

Edited February 8, 2025 by Triple-o

[Fretless]

Dick Dale.

[Triple-o]

I am surprised by your reply **** Dale. I tried numerous times to enter **** and the name is immediately replaced with asterisks.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 12, 2025 by Triple-o

[InpulseArts]

**** Dale. (Just trying it out on my end. Nope doesn't work for me either... lol) 
So I'm HIGHLY inexperienced with all these guitar techniques, I mean I am basically still learning applying music theory to my guitar playing/practicing, and slowly learning some techniques along the way.  But this looks straight lile up and down picking at a very high speed. 

Applying this to a morse code idea along the way I look at the technique as it should be played tthis way (. . . . . . . . . )
But I tend to play it (. __ . . . . ____ . ) So the picking is very uneven.

I know enough to take a Metronome and speed it up to a faster beat every few sessions, but I just can't keep up. missing beats/strings, etc.

Is it a matter of just practice, practice, and practice?

Edited December 31, 2025 by InpulseArts

[Fretless]

13 hours ago, InpulseArts said:

I know enough to take a Metronome and speed it up to a faster beat every few sessions, but I just can't keep up. missing beats/strings, etc.

Is it a matter of just practice, practice, and practice?

Yes it is just a matter of practice, practice and more practice but don't be in a hurry to speed up your metronome. It is like asking a toddler that has now taken its first steps to speed up to a slow run. They will stumble before long and it will end in tears.

As soon as you cannot keep up, slow the metronome back down two steps - not by 2 bpm but to the speed you were alright at before the previous speed.

An alternative would be to find a few songs that you enjoy listening to and happen to have helpful tempos, that is, the tempo your metronome is at before you miss a beat. Play your tremolo picking to the whole song, take a good rest, and then try playing along to another song, not necessarily faster. This will help build your muscle memory and will start to make faster speeds more intuitive and less a struggle to keep up.

Last thing for now, try to find ways of practising that you find enjoyable; that way you will be able to practice for longer and that will also help.

Do let us know in a month or two how you are getting on, what has been helpful and what you find still rather challenging. You will get there.

Edited January 1 by Fretless
spelling

[Fretless]

For those who have been trying tremolo picking I took the opportunity to ask Steve yesterday and he gave a demonstration and explanation in yesterday's live session, here (the video link should start at 3:36 - Steve has edited his video and so my marker has had to move!): 

 

Edited February 4 by Fretless